Kentucky League of Women Voters

SUMMER 2010 E-VOTER
Presidents’ message,

Nita, Tammy Fagley, Nicole Wolfe, and I attended the National Convention in Atlanta in June as delegates representing the state of Kentucky.  This was a special convention because it was the 90^th anniversary of the League of Women Voters.  Consequently, we were in all in a reflective mood.. We spent some time looking back with our former National presidents and then looking forward to the future of the League. Six hundred delegates out of a total grassroots membership of 150,000 from 45 states discussed the challenges associated with continuing to have the League remain a viable, influential organization .  We worked on program adoption, concurrences, resolutions, the budget, and by-laws.  We also voted for a new National President and members of the National Board..(see full report in the next article).

An overarching theme at convention was improving membership in the League.  It is no secret that all organizations such as ours, are being challenged with trying to keep old members and attracting new ones.  Many women and men lead extremely busy lives and they need to choose carefully the time they spend outside of family and work obligations.  Sharing experiences with other League leaders helped to put in perspective our own problems with membership.. We will be working with National on a new initiative on Membership Recruitment, with Carolyn Self as our  leader.(More about this program in a late communication).

The Kentucky League plans for the future include repeating our invitation to the Senatorial candidates, Dr. Rand Paul and Attorney General Jack Conway, to participate in a  candidate’s forum. on October 12 to be held in Pikeville.  It is to be cosponsored by the League of Women Voters of Kentucky and the Broadcasters’ Association.

Another plan for the fall season is to hold a FUN  fundraiser.  Possibly a Kentucky wine and beer tasting, also to include hors oeuvres, dessert, and a guest speaker, to be held at Terry Naydan’s home. We are hoping to raise funds so that we can keep our League office in Frankfort.  We find that it is necessary to have an office in the Capital if we are to be taken seriously by Kentucky Legislators as we lobby for League positions

After the National Convention, we were inspired to rededicate ourselves to supporting the League..  We hope you will do the same by attending meetings, forums, answering “calls to action” and supporting fundraisers.  If we all participate when our schedules allow, we will continue to make the League the organization that the public trusts when they require non-partisan information.  Our mission remains the same always:  to encourage active, informed, citizen participation in the political process.  Thank you to all of our members for all that you do to advance our League principles.

Terry & Nita
Your co-presidents

CONVENTION ACTION

We formally adopted two studies :

• A study of the federal role in public education.   The study will focus on the role of  the federal  government in education policymaking, with possible consideration of funding,, common standards and/or governance relationships among all levels of government.
• A study on privatization: The policy agenda to transfer government functions, services, and assets to the private sector.

The convention adopted by concurrence the following positions:

• An updated arms control position.
• We added this statement to the position on the selection of the president:  “We support the use of the National Popular Vote Compact as one acceptable way to achieve the goal of the direct popular vote for election of the president until the abolition of the Electoral College is accomplished
• .”The LWVUS supports legislation to equalize the legal rights, obligations, and benefits available to same-gender couples to marry under civil law.  The League believes that the civil status of marriage is already clearly distinguished from the religious institution of marriage

and that religious rights will be preserved.”

The convention also supported the following resolutions:

• To support the lifting of travel restrictions for Americans going to Cuba.
• We support lobbying for significant strengthening of appropriate regulation, oversight, inspection, and penalties associated with the development of fossil fuel resources.
• To call upon the Senate to change its rules to limit the use of the filibuster.
• To add the principle of TRANSPARENCY to the SARA Resolution of 2005.  Revised, it should include the following Principles: Security, Accuracy, Recountability, Accessibility and Transparency.
• To call upon  the LWVUS Board to advocate strongly for bills that legislate for improved Medicare for all.
• To call upon the LWVUS to highlight the need for those responsible for the oil spill to be held accountable.  Further, the LWVUS demands that our government hold those responsible for the environmental disaster accountable for the clean-up.

Bylaws

• Membership, was amended by striking out the word HONORARY before the words “life members”.  The bylaw will then read. “those who have been members of the League for 50 years or more shall be life members excused from the payment of dues.”
• Financial Administration was amended to provide that a biennial budget would be adopted at Convention, starting with 2012.
• Place, date, and Call to Council was amended to provide that Council shall be held at a time and place or in a manner determined by the national board.

Budget

• The proposed PMP rate of $29.60 was increased to $29.70 for 2010-2011 by a motion on the convention floor.  The PMP rate of $30.00 for 2011-2012 was adopted as proposed.

We also voted for a new president,, Elizabeth McNamara, of Georgia.  She was the former vice president/service chair of the US League.  We wish her and the new Board of Directors well in their roles as the new LWVUS leaders.  They can depend on our cooperation in continuing our mission of encouraging citizen participation in our unique democracy.

Honoring our Past Members:
A meaningful way to honor former members who have died is to send a donation in their memory to the League of Women Voters of Kentucky.  Many of you have done this in the past, and we hope you will continue this tradition in the future.

Kathryn Christopherson, of Louisville, has made a generous donation to the League in memory of Elaine Adland..  Both Nita and I have known Elaine for many years.  She was a devoted and loyal member of the League and we will all miss her.

Calendar
Saturday, July 17, 10 a.m.
Board Meeting
League Office, 1009 Twilight Trail, Building D, Frankfort, KY 40601

Tuesday, October 12, 8 PM
Candidate’s Forum for Senatorial Candidates
Pikeville, KY, Location TBA

League of Women Voters of Kentucky
Suburban Park, Building D, Suite 103
1009 Twilight Trail
Frankfort, KY 40601
Email:  Kentuckylwv@gmail.com
Website:  www.lwvky.org

Mission:
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase  understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.